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Difficulty
Difficult
Steps
15
Time Required
15 - 30 minutes
Sections
1
- 5 pins Magsafe connector and cable
- 15 steps
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2
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Introduction
In this guide we will change the cord connecting the charger to the MacBook.
Alternatively, you can use this guide to repair your existing cable instead of replacing it.
What you need
Step 1
5 pins Magsafe connector and cable
- Tools required:
- A decent soldering iron
- Wire cutters
- Desoldering pump
- A big heavy-duty spudger
- A pair of snap-ring pliers for use with external snap-rings. Really any long-nose pliers would do, this is just perfect for the job if you happen to have a pair :-)
- Super glue
- 1 or 2 small clamps
Tools required:
A decent soldering iron
Wire cutters
Desoldering pump
A big heavy-duty spudger
A pair of snap-ring pliers for use with external snap-rings. Really any long-nose pliers would do, this is just perfect for the job if you happen to have a pair :-)
Super glue
1 or 2 small clamps
1024
Step 2
- Open the cord winding flaps.
- Heat the power brick’s plastic casing with a hair dryer, and/or run a razor blade along the seam between the two halves of the casing, in order to weaken the adhesive. This will make it easier to pry the case open.
- Insert your pliers and pry slowly. (Make sure they stay seated in the inside corners, or you may injure yourself or gouge the case.)
- The cord winding flap will fall out.
- Do the same on the other side.
- Work slowly!
Open the cord winding flaps.
Heat the power brick’s plastic casing with a hair dryer, and/or run a razor blade along the seam between the two halves of the casing, in order to weaken the adhesive. This will make it easier to pry the case open.
Insert your pliers and pry slowly. (Make sure they stay seated in the inside corners, or you may injure yourself or gouge the case.)
The cord winding flap will fall out.
Do the same on the other side.
Work slowly!
Step 3
- If your charger is never opened before, it would be difficult to pry it open. Try bench-vise tools to add power your needle nose plier
- Handle of your needle-nose plier is laid upon the closed bench vise, insert into the casing, then roll the vise slowly.
- The casing would be cracked and you can continue to next step
If your charger is never opened before, it would be difficult to pry it open. Try bench-vise tools to add power your needle nose plier
Handle of your needle-nose plier is laid upon the closed bench vise, insert into the casing, then roll the vise slowly.
The casing would be cracked and you can continue to next step
Step 4
- Finish it by hand; you’ll have to apply some force.
- At some point, the case will crack open. (The edges are glued all the way around, and the interior metal sheeting may be glued to the case with a foam adhesive as well.)
- The corner pieces inside the winding flaps, with their flat metal springs, may come loose as well; note their arrangement with springs pointing toward the cord, for reinstallation later.
Finish it by hand; you’ll have to apply some force.
At some point, the case will crack open. (The edges are glued all the way around, and the interior metal sheeting may be glued to the case with a foam adhesive as well.)
The corner pieces inside the winding flaps, with their flat metal springs, may come loose as well; note their arrangement with springs pointing toward the cord, for reinstallation later.
Step 5
- Carefully remove the inside from the shell.
- Be careful not to touch any of the capacitor leads, or you may receive an electric shock.
- If the inside sticks to one half of the shell, it’s probably due to (a) glue around the edge of the A/C connector, and/or (b) foam glue between the inside and the flat of the shell.
- Use a heavy duty spudger or other pry tool to pry the edge of the A/C connector from the shell, and carefully pry between the shell and the inside to break the foam glue.
- Use only ESD-safe pry tools. Do not use metal pry tools or screwdrivers.
- You may find the metallic sheeting breaks a little; that’s okay, but try to minimize the damage!
Carefully remove the inside from the shell.
Be careful not to touch any of the capacitor leads, or you may receive an electric shock.
If the inside sticks to one half of the shell, it’s probably due to (a) glue around the edge of the A/C connector, and/or (b) foam glue between the inside and the flat of the shell.
Use a heavy duty spudger or other pry tool to pry the edge of the A/C connector from the shell, and carefully pry between the shell and the inside to break the foam glue.
Use only ESD-safe pry tools. Do not use metal pry tools or screwdrivers.
You may find the metallic sheeting breaks a little; that’s okay, but try to minimize the damage!
Step 6
- I like to insert a big spudger to make more room to work.
I like to insert a big spudger to make more room to work.
Step 7
- Make sure you note the position of the positive and negative terminals.
- Start by removing a bit of solder with the pump.
- Separate the cables. It may require some force, so be careful not to break the board.
Make sure you note the position of the positive and negative terminals.
Start by removing a bit of solder with the pump.
Separate the cables. It may require some force, so be careful not to break the board.
Step 8
- The replacement cable should be tinned with solder before solder on the board; just put the leads in place and apply heat to install it.
- Bending the wire tips 90 degrees helps with installation.
The replacement cable should be tinned with solder before solder on the board; just put the leads in place and apply heat to install it.
Bending the wire tips 90 degrees helps with installation.
Step 9
- Carefully put the power assembly back in the first half of the casing.
- It will be a tight fit!
Carefully put the power assembly back in the first half of the casing.
It will be a tight fit!
Step 10
- Place the cable grommet in the proper position in the casing.
Place the cable grommet in the proper position in the casing.
Step 11
- Put the cord winding flappers back in position.
Put the cord winding flappers back in position.
Step 12
- Put some super glue on the cover.
- Avoid the flap areas and the grommet area.
Put some super glue on the cover.
Avoid the flap areas and the grommet area.
Step 13
- You might want to wear gloves so as not to get excess super glue on your fingers.
- Hold the flaps in place and install the other half of the casing.
- It will be tight—be patient!
- Make sure the flaps stay in place.
You might want to wear gloves so as not to get excess super glue on your fingers.
Hold the flaps in place and install the other half of the casing.
It will be tight—be patient!
Make sure the flaps stay in place.
Step 14
- Clamp the casing together and give it a few hours for the glue to set.
Clamp the casing together and give it a few hours for the glue to set.
Step 15
- Just like new!
Just like new!
Apply and repeat to all your friends victim of faulty cable ;-)
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Pierre Merineau
Member since: 02/10/2010
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Wildlife Ecology - Apr 28, 2014
Reply
This guide was very helpful in figuring out what needed to be done and how to do it. I don’t have access to a lead pump so I ended up removing the old wires and then soldering the new ones on top of the remaining solder. So far it’s working just fine!
Ben Winkler - Jun 18, 2014
Reply
I wasn’t able to open my charger, even when using heat, the pliars as shown here and even a knife. As the damage to my cable was a few inches from the charger I just cut the cord and soldered a new one to the end. Cable looks a bit ratty but you could use white tubing to place over the top.
This guide is great and would definitely use it if possible =)
ridwan - Jul 18, 2017
Try using bench vise with needle-nose plier
nawkwan - Jan 2, 2020
You certainly need to knife thoroughly along the seam for it to open; after which you need to pry slowly with a pair of pliers by applying a considerable amount of force. Prudence is necessary when applying force because brute force will likely damage the casing; that means if you think adding more force will break the casing, it probably will. Knife it some more and then try again. Patience is key.
I managed to open the casing without breaking it *but I did break my pliers in the process. lol
